this forum welcomes all forumers who appreciate decent and well thought out views and discussions. all forumers are encouraged to accept that different forumers have different views and often there is no absolutely right or wrong views.

This is the biggest piece of political news that surfaced over the weekend. SDP's Chee Soon Juan had rounded up the opposition parties to a meeting that sowed the seed of a united front against the PAP in the shades of Pakatan Harapan. For decades the Singapore opposition parties have been divided and factionalised into different tiny ineffective parties fighting hopelessly against the mammoth PAP machine. The quest was quite hopeless and very amusing if not silly to see them banging their heads against the wall. It was foolish and futile but they kept going at it as if a miracle will happen to change their fate.

The trumping of UMNO in Malaysia led by a 92 year old ex PM has been an eye opener to the conceited and hopeless party leaders of Singapore, like a mirror being held right in their faces to show their folly. It took Chee Soon Juan, the man that has been demolished and character assassinated as a lone ranger, fighting just for his own personal cause, to step up to dispel this myth. No other opposition party leaders was selfless enough to make this move, to bring in a third party in the name of Tan Cheng Bock, to unite the frail and fractured opposition parties together for a common cause, to bring down the PAP. This move alone tells a lot about Chee Soon Juan, the man that they did not know or told to believe as otherwise. The real spoilt sport, those that would not want to be a team player, those who have selfish agenda, would not think of coming together in an alliance to be a real political force to be reckon with.

Tan Cheng Bock may not be a Mahathir, but he has enough respect from the people, conviction and commitment to do the necessary for the good of Singapore and the future of Singaporeans. It takes a lot of guts and conviction to want to do something like this, to bring down the ruling party, a once mighty political party that had done good for the country and people in the first few decades of its exixtencwe. Things must have gone very badly wrong for an ex PAP stalwart to want to stand up to his old party that he once believed was the force of goodness.

The fear is gone. Tan Cheng Bock has taken a bold step that no ex PAP MPs or ministers dare to tread. The line is broken and hopefully this would encourage more ex PAP members to join the queue in this Harapan to do what is right. Many must have seen the rot and are fuming but for one reason or another, chose to remain in the dark corners of anonymity wallowing in self pity. The robbing of the people must be stopped. The selling out of Singaporeans to foreigners must be stopped. PRs are just passing by and will go when the time is right. Cheng Bock has lighted a match to show the way. It is time to make a difference, to do what they believe is right and good for Singapore and Singaporeans, not for locals and foreigners that are not Singaporeans.

Now where is that Chok Tong and his gang? Would he think or deem that it is time to join forces with Cheng Bock and the opposition before it is too late, before it is all over? All the ex MPs and current MPs that can sense a sinking boat should decide to abandon ship before it is too late like in Malaysia.

The seed for an uprising in the politics of Singapore has been planted on 28 Jul 18. It needs to be watered and nurtured to be kept alive and live another day. This is the hope, the day that all Singaporeans are quietly waiting for. Let not the light be snuffed out before it lives to see another day.

Singaporeans need a Singapore Harapan, not a local or foreigner infested Harapan to lead Singapore and Singaporeans to a better tomorrow.

PS. The parties that were present were Singapore Democratic Party, the People’s Power Party, the Democratic Progressive Party, the Reform Party, the National Solidarity Party, the Singaporeans First Party and the People’s Voice Party. All the major opposition parties were invited._________________what i posted is just my personal view. feel free to disagree.

Last edited by redbean on Thu Aug 09, 2018 9:10 am; edited 1 time in total

2050 - Exceptional city of exceptional people
Fellow local people of Super City TT0908. Today we celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the day we digitalised this City into a smart city for smart people. I can see that all of you are looking very well and prosperous and very happy for being a member of this great City. Everyone of you is an exceptional talent to be qualified to stay here. There is no more mediocre people in this Super City. All the mediocre people have left on their own free will to the neighbouring countries when they rightly belonged.

We did not achieve this state of ever bliss and prosperity, where only exceptionally talented people gathered to live among themselves without having to be bothered with the problems of the mediocre people, unable to pay for bus fares or cheap food and cheap housing without careful and forward planning. Our forefathers have made the right choice to open this City to all the talents of the world, to welcome everyone who is talent to this Super and Smart city. The process of renewal started several decades ago, to make this City a City of genuinely talented people.

In the beginning we called everyone coming here a talent, even knowing that they were not the talent we wanted. We bear with them. The agenda then was to quickly grow the population to 15m initially and finally to 30m today. As we go along and more and more foreign talents came in, we were able to weed out the lesser talents. We don't have to do anything. We only keep raising taxes and fees until it was unbearable for those mediocre people to stay and to pay. They voluntarily sold their homes and moved out to cheaper neighbouring countries where they are more comfortable with their low talent and low income.

10 years ago we have already achieved our target of a Super City with only super talented people living here. We have also redesignated or digitalised the name of our city to TT0908 and done away with the vestiges and historical garbage of the past when the losers everyday asked the govt for help and assistance. Our govt today does not need to provide a budget to help the poor and losers. There are no poor people or losers in our glorious city. There is no need for charity. There is no free lunch.

We have also done away with many things that needed human beans and their labour. National Service has been abolished. We do not need human soldiers. They have been replaced with droids and the weapons for defence are all drones and robots. The City is clean not because we need cheap human labour. Our super talented local residents are smart and discipline and would not dirty the place. The streets are kept clean, of course by machine.

Oh, because we are now a Smart City, we also do away with citizenship where the losers used to fall back on to demand special privileges from the govt. Today everyone is a digit, can come and go. Only those that can afford to live in this expensive City will remain and those who could not would leave. How did we do this? Simple. We just keep increasing the cost of living, higher taxes and higher fees. And this is also necessary as such a great City must be run by the best talents and they deserved to be paid by the billions. Everything in this City is the best, world class, including the residents and the people that ruled this City.

Let us celebrate another successful year together as the most talented and highest paid human beans in the world.

Mahathir has cancelled the US$20b East Coast HSR in Malaysia. Without this rail link, the super port in Malacca and the ports on the east coast would become white elephants and likely to be cold storage. The whole concept of these two mega projects is to make Malaysia the gateway to China and Europe by high speed train. Now the train would stop in Thailand, likely at the Isthmus of Kra. Cancelling the East Coast HSR would mean cancelling the port projects on both sides of peninsula Malaysia as well. All other projects linked to the BRI would become meaningless and likely to end abruptly. The Kra Canal project would take precedence now for China to by pass the Straits of Malacca and the port of Singapore.

The Kra Canal project is very costly and would take years to contruct and build and is a project that China would not want to commit if given a choice. This is a window of opportunity for Singapore to reposition itself as a major shipping node in the BRI. As far as Malaysia is concerned, even though Mahathir said he supports the BRI, Malaysia is out of the game. Whether Singapore can ease its way into the vacuum left by Malaysia would depend on what the Singapore govt is going to do to assure China that its interests would not be compromised by the American military presence in Singapore.

Here comes the tricky question. What is Singapore going to do to balance the American presence in the city state that virtually controls the shipping through the Malacca Strait? Two obvious choice, by allowing the Americans to continue to be in the island and also allow the Chinese to have similar access for their warships under the same terms as the Americans, nothing more nothing less. Another option is to ask the Americans to vacate Changi which is going to be a tough ride. Once in, the Americans would not be easy to leave this strategic little corner, just like their presence in Japan, South Korea and Iraq. They would not leave without a fight.

The future of Tuas mega port and Singapore's shipping and logistic industry would depend on how Singapore plays its cards. China has other options other than the Kra Canal. Qwadar in Pakistan and Myanmar ports would be fully developed to take on the role of channelling oil from the Middle East to China, by passing the Straits of Malacca if all else failed. Singapore must not think that China has no where else to go but come begging to use Tuas. This is a great opportunity that Singapore must seize and take full advantage of before Mahathir knows what he is doing and change his mind or step down and Anwar takes over to revive a dying Malaysian economy that is being bypassed by China's BRI.

For the moment Mahathir has chosen to go it alone. If Singapore is smart, it must quickly chope the vacated seat by selling to China all the favourable terms it can offer for Chinese ships to come calling at Tuas. Singapore would not have another chance if this window of opportunity is closed again. And it can close as quickly as it is opened now.

Would Singapore seize the moment and turn it to its favour?_________________what i posted is just my personal view. feel free to disagree.

'...prominent Singapore diplomat Professor Tommy Koh responded to Chesterman’s post and called on Singapore’s gay community to band together and challenge Section 377A here.
The veteran diplomat wrote: “I would encourage our gay community to bring a class action to challenge the consitutionality of Section 377A.” When reminded that past legal applications challenging the constitutionality of the law have failed, Prof Koh encouraged from his verified account: “try again”....

Labelling the group calling for change a “growing minority”, the Minister told reporters:

“Singapore…on this issue, it is a deeply split society. The majority oppose to any change to section 377A – they are opposed to removing it. A minority – I have to say, a growing minority – want it to be repealed. The Government is in the middle.

“This issue relates to social mores, values – so can you impose viewpoints on a majority when it so closely relates to a social value system?”'
Is it because LKY is no more around to slap the wrists of natural aristocrats, the cry for the abolition of S377A is gaining support from more and more natural aristocrats. The one voice that is still hesitating on this change is Shanmugam, quoting the cultural and religious opposition to this change.

By the look of things, and with more heavy weight natural aristocrats lending their weights to repeal this law, it is only a matter of time before it becomes a reality.

I just have one concern. Should they repeal this law, how are children that are not gay or have no homosexual tendency, or even adults, find the protection from the law should they end up as victims of sexual attacks by the gays? No everyone is a gay and enjoy such activities with the same sex, and the majority are not interested in such affairs.

Would there be any law to protect their interest should the govt succumb to the demands to repeal this law? Is the govt responsible for the safety of those that do not subscribe to such activities and fell victim as a result of this change in law? By all means, go change the law if it is so desired, but please ensure that those that need protection from the law would still be protected.

Go and find a lawyer to sue for personal trepassing?_________________what i posted is just my personal view. feel free to disagree.

Read in YahooNews that a former ST editor by the name of Alan John is calling the people to take a stand for secularism when religious people for using religion to impose their values on the secular. He posted an article in in face book and reported in coconuts.com titled, Fomer ST editor highlights the importance of standing up for secularism in the face of religious pressure.

This debate arising from the movement calling for the abolition of an 'outdated' law that forbids sex between men is seeing people taking sides for and against the law. Many prominent and eminent and influential elite and natural aristocrats have joint forces with the anti S377A law, calling for its abolition. The religious groups are also up in arms against this threat to the natural order of things, the natural order of creation. With the growing presence of LGBTs, the old natural order of things is looking like unnatural and the new natural order of things is like everything LGBT. So what is the natural order of things?

At the moment the majority is belongs to the old natural order of things. What if the LGBTs become a majority and the new natural order of things? We do not really know how big is the LGBTs as many are still hiding in the closets, many shy to own up to their sexual inclinations and preference, the number could be very large.

While the debate is going on and with stranger and stranger people, once thought of as the old natural order of things, speaking for the new natural order of things, one begins to question where are these people coming from? What is their agenda and who they really are?

Perhaps it is proper for the two camps to come clean and reveal their sexual preference or religious background before making a stand. In this way we will know why are these people taking the stand they chose to and not because of hidden motive or agenda. Ya, please come clean and be transparent. These two words are the key principles of Singaporean affairs. Anyone not coming clean is as guilty and sinister as the devil. When one fears coming clean, it means one is hiding something.

Let the debate continues with everyone declaring upfront who and what they are. I can understand the points raised between a sin and a crime, one a religious norm of what is acceptable and what is not, the other a legal position, a law to forbid a certain act. There are times when the two coincide and there are times when the two differ, sometimes by a lot, sometimes a little.

What do you think? Are the neutral, central, non partisan, hetero bias also taking sides, or those taking sides are actually not the neutral, central but partisan and homo bias, with vested interests in saying what they are saying?

PS. It is understandable that those born with such biological traits would behave or prefer to have their own ways or life style. But there are many that are born straight but unthinking or thinking that it is fashionable, after a few intakes of drugs, to think that this is the in thing to go for, the new natural order of things._________________what i posted is just my personal view. feel free to disagree.

PAP changing of the guards and implications
Hsien Loong announced the stepping down of 5 senior party leaders to clear the swamp for the young turks to take over. Chee Hian, Tharman, Boon Wan, Yaacob and Swee Say all stepped down from the CEC. The only CEC member left that is above 60 is Hsien Loong, now 66.
The first thought that came to my mind is that Chee Hian and Tharman are unlikely to be the next PM. Their fate is as good as sealed. Would they still hang on to their appointments as DPMs, or would they also step aside and maybe given the great titles of senior ministers or ESM? But this is just irrelevant if one is to see what role Chok Tong is playing, creating jobs himself to keep himself busy but out of the party agenda.
Traditionally, anyone that is going to be the PM must remain in the CEC as the Secretary General or maybe the assistant Sec Gen. There has been no precedence that someone that is not a CEC member could become the PM. But then again exceptional situation may result in exceptional development. If Chee Hian and Tharman remain as Dep PMs after stepping down from the CEC, in a crisis situation, or an abnormal situation, it would be normal and natural for a Dep PM to step in as the PM when the need arises. In the current context, this is very likely and very possible. The fate of Chee Hian and Tharman becoming the next PM is still not completely sealed as long as they remain as the Dep PMs. Should they be asked to step down as DPM, then the gate is closed, more or less.
Let’s watch the next move that will determine their fate. It would be completely sealed if a 4G PM designate is appointed as the DPM. By then Tharman should apply for a permanent job in the IMF instead and make himself more useful and meaningful._________________what i posted is just my personal view. feel free to disagree.

The Sino American War has been racheted a notch higher with the outrageous arrest of a Chinese citizen, Meng Wanzhou in Canada. The Americans are bent on fighting this war with China at any cost. The Chinese leaders are still sleeping, thinking that they could talk reasons with the rogues in the White House and appearing meek and accommodating would win the day. They might as well go down on their knees and beg Emperor Trump for mercy.

Trump is no different from the neocons. It is about the American Empire and ruling the world. China would not be allowed to challenge the American Empire and must be brought down on its knees. Hear that, China. Wake up and open your eyes to see what you are dealing with and their intent. There is not going to be any niceties. The arrest of Meng Wanzhou in the midst of a trade negotiation in Buenos Aires is the American's way of telling the Chinese that they could do anything to China and China would meekly accept its fate.

The whole world is watching at how China reacts to the American attacks, especially the American allies like Japan and Europe. China's meek and inaction have led them to a conclusion that China has lost the war and would be swallowed up by the Americans. Japan has read the situation and jumped in to not only ban Huawei from entering the Japanese market but also ZTE. To Japan, China has lost. Period. This is the prize China is paying for being weak and meek when attacked by the Americans. More American allies would join the pack to ban Huawei now. China brought this upon itself and deserves to be attacked, just like the invasion of China in 1937 by Japan. When you are weak, you deserves to be attacked. China has not learnt its lesson and it is being given a second lesson on not to be weak.

However, the most serious consequence for China is that top Chinese businessmen would fear to travel out of China as they are easy target for kidnapping by the rogue American regime and its mafia allies. How would this affect China as the next world leader and Chinese in the eyes of the world community?

Would Singapore join the American allies and ban Huawei's 5G from entering the Singapore market? This is crisis time and also an opportunity for Singapore to seize the moment, to be with China or against China. Huawei's 5G is the future technology and would transform Singapore into a truly smart city. Singapore could go along with Huawei and move ahead while the Americans and the West struggle to find their way to develop their 5G technology, maybe another decade. This is time on Singapore's side to be at the forefront of technology and be a model city for the West and the rest of the world and to win China's confidence to work with Singapore in the various projects Singapore is proposing in China. This could be the litmus test for Singapore and its well being in the future as the trading and transportation hub of SE Asia now that China is abandoning Malacca, Malaysia that was to replace Tuas, Singapore.

What would Singapore choose?_________________what i posted is just my personal view. feel free to disagree.

Doubts raised on auditing firms worldwide
Singapore regulators investigating Noble’s auditor Ernst and Young. This is not unusual as the big four auditors, Deloitte, KPMG, PWC, and EY were also under probe in the UK according to a Bloomberg report. Below are a few paras of a report by Bloomberg on MAS’ investigating EY after the fall from grace of Noble, once a hot favourite of punters in the Singapore Exchange. Its share price had fallen to a few miserable cents and the stock has been suspended from trading pending a refinancing and restructuring exercise to save the company.

‘Noble’s accounting has been in focus since early 2015, when
a previously unknown group called Iceberg Research started
criticizing the company, saying it had inflated the value of
long-term commodity contracts and carried billions of dollars in
profits on its books that would eventually have to be written
down.

Since then, the once $12 billion company has lost billions
in value, reduced to a rump by untenable debt and writedowns --
including on many of the contracts that Iceberg had been
criticizing.

"You see repeated clean audits, and then suddenly you have
these big writedowns," Lee Boon Ngiap, assistant managing
director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, told Bloomberg.
"That’s something regulators will pay attention to – and move to
ask questions, press more."’ Bloomberg

The blind faith in western auditing firms is another angmoh tua kee thing. Anything western must be good, no need to question, sure to be done professionally and honestly. One of these firms was the auditor of the AHTC accounts and the cross examinations in court revealed many loopholes and personal opinions that were anything but factual from rubbish heads.

Not only auditing firms, the western banks were reputed to be highly professionally run, with impeccable records, transparent and unquestionable trust in what they said until the banking crisis when all the top western banks, reporting billions and billions of profits, suddenly declared insolvent. How could this happen, cooking the books all the years, hazy accounting and management practices, the biggest money launderers, but not discovered by the reputable auditors?

When reading the glorious reports of billions of dollars of profits by the local banks, the scenario of the collapse of western banks keeps appearing in my mind. So similar, would they be adopting the same hide and seek accounting? Are they using the same auditing firms? Hopefully not as Singapore is reputed to have the strictest banking regulations under the watchful eyes of our incorruptible and most conscientious regulators.

The western media too were taken as the publishers of truth, unquestionable truth, and accepted as the authority of all news and information in their prints. Today every one of these western media are churning out fake news and disinformation. Unfortunately silly bananas would still regard them as the messengers to truth, nothing but the truth despite Trump, the US President, discrediting every one of them as untrustworthy. Would the lies and rubbish churned out by the western media be accepted as the truth and would not be questioned by our ministry in charge of fake news and disinformation?

Is there anything left in the West that is honourable, worthy of being trustworthy and reliable and not cheats, conmen, tricksters and liars?_________________what i posted is just my personal view. feel free to disagree.

On hearing the formation of another new party in a political scene filled with many dysfunctional and defunct little hopeless parties, the same thought came to mind, why another party to split the already scattered opposition ground? Would this new party be just another hare brain little party that is going nowhere but to please the ego of a few conceited ambitious individuals thinking that they can be the next PM of this island?

Can the Progress Singapore Party make a difference to the already hopeless situation, would it make a difference? When I read Cheng Bock saying that it is another alternative voice in Parliament, I give up all hopes. Singapore does not need another alternative voice in Parliament. This is a meaningless option and a futile effort that would not do anything to help the people and country. Singapore needs a serious political party to challenge the PAP and to be able to wrestle political power to change the deteriorating state of affairs.

Perhaps I am asking too much too early. A journey starts with a single step, and this is another single step, hopefully leading to somewhere and not nowhere. I am not enthusiastic about another political party that is thinking and planning to be a force to be reckon with in another 10 or 20 years. By then the damage would be irreparable. Singapore would have gone to the third world, maybe even taken over by foreigners. This is my reservation, Singapore needs change urgently, now, not in another 20 years.

Not all is lost. Change may happen tomorrow and this new party may be that catalyst that sparks the flame for change. For this to happen, several conditions must be met. I will deal with a few here and they are not exclusive and not the only conditions that would make change happen.

The first point is the size of this new party. How big is it? Can it field enough good candidates to pose a real alternative govt? To be meaningful, effective and serious, it must field enough candidates to win and form a new govt. A coalition with the other smaller parties may be possible but unreliable with so many PMs to be putting their self interests ahead of national interests.

The second point is the quality, calibre and stature of the candidates contesting the election. Are they substantial individuals that can command the respect and confidence of the people? Would Progress Singapore's candidates be third liners of ex PAP cadres and members, or would they be eminent professionals, highly regarded individuals like Hsien Yang, George Yeo, Kwan Ping, Yeoh Lam Keong, just to name a few? Would be nice if a few ministers or ex ministers be brave enough to join the Party to show how serious and real is this challenge to replace the PAP in govt. This is very serious business and having more mediocre candidates, not in the sense of earning less than $500k, would not mean anything. The Progress Singapore Party must bring out a slate of big names to convince the people that this is the real thing, not another hopeless little party just for fun.

A third point to make, is this the time for political change, is Singapore ripe for political change? Had PAP work itself into a corner, a sinking ship or a ship that is being driven over the cliff? The perception of the people of the PAP, whether PAP has outlived its usefulness and no longer a party for the people's good is vital in making change to happen. Are the people still with the PAP or already lost all hopes on the PAP, a party of the past that no longer serves their interest and well being? This is a crucial question. The PAP may still be looking good superficially, but no one knows how bad it is within and how the majority of the people really feel about this Party. UMNO is a good example. Prior to the GE it was looking invincible until the chips were down.

No, do not expect another Mahathir in Singapore. No one in Singapore today can hold a candle to Mahathir. He is untouchable and the Malay ground holds him in high regards. He commands their respect and unquestionable support. There is no such character worthy of that kind of respect in Singapore today to do a Mahathir.

There is still time for the Progress Singapore Party to get its act together to be not just another hopeless party jumping into the fray. If they want to come in, make it real, make it happen, make it now._________________what i posted is just my personal view. feel free to disagree.

The once dull, placid and uneventful political scene of Singapore where the PAP dominates and controls everything is showing signs of life, excitement and suspense. Cheng Bock just announced that he is forming a new party, Progress Singapore Party. There are many aspects of this party that are going to change the status quo. Cheng Bock's party would have many members coming from the PAP, a chip of the old block.

In a way this is what Singaporeans are waiting for, have been waiting for this to happen, yes, a split within the PAP. This may not be technically correct in the sense that Cheng Bock's members are likely to be ex PAP and not serving MPs/ministers or card carrying members. A split would be a case of current members breaking away to form a new party to challenge the PAP. I may be saying this a bit too early as this is just the beginning. When things gather momentum, there is always a likelihood that PAP members and cadres could switch camp before the next GE.

People are speculating as to who are the 12 founding members of Cheng Bock's new party. Big names have been thrown into the ring with some mentioning Hsien Yang and even George Yeo may make a comeback. People are anticipating surprises, hoping for surprises, wishing for surprises. And what could they look for, would there be current MPs and ministers switching camps?

The premature retiring of some ministers in the recent PAP reelection must have made some ministers not very happy or even disgruntled. The two DPMs that are standing down are very young, at the prime of their life and have many good years to contribute to the country and people. Would they be happy to be retired so early and be cast into the wilderness?

Then there is the possibility of some wanting to jump ship, abandoning a sinking ship. Though the PAP is still look formidable, just like UMNO was in the last GE before they were defeated. No one would expect UMNO to become a sinking ship once the result was final. This incident would provide fruit for thought in the Singapore context. Is the PAP a sinking ship like UMNO but not showing sign that it is sinking? Would it be prudent to jump ship before it is too late, like the case of UMNO when it was too late once the rice is cooked?

The new Progress Singapore Party can prove to be an attractive proposition if more big wigs join the bandwagon and start a rush for safety, or if there is a strong and attractive pipe piper taking the lead.

Everyone is making his own assessment of the health of the PAP. There are many factors and developments recently that may be read as bad signs for the PAP. Is the PAP still as strong as it was or is it at the terminal stage of cancer and it is better to jump ship before it is too late? If the decision is to jump, Cheng Bock's new party is a good and easy choice to make the switch.

The new party is giving hopes to many that change is coming, change is now before the curtain falls on the PAP. If there are enough people believing in change, change it will be._________________what i posted is just my personal view. feel free to disagree.

On hearing the formation of another new party in a political scene filled with many dysfunctional and defunct little hopeless parties, the same thought came to mind, why another party to split the already scattered opposition ground? Would this new party be just another hare brain little party that is going nowhere but to please the ego of a few conceited ambitious individuals thinking that they can be the next PM of this island?

Can the Progress Singapore Party make a difference to the already hopeless situation, would it make a difference? When I read Cheng Bock saying that it is another alternative voice in Parliament, I give up all hopes. Singapore does not need another alternative voice in Parliament. This is a meaningless option and a futile effort that would not do anything to help the people and country. Singapore needs a serious political party to challenge the PAP and to be able to wrestle political power to change the deteriorating state of affairs.

Perhaps I am asking too much too early. A journey starts with a single step, and this is another single step, hopefully leading to somewhere and not nowhere. I am not enthusiastic about another political party that is thinking and planning to be a force to be reckon with in another 10 or 20 years. By then the damage would be irreparable. Singapore would have gone to the third world, maybe even taken over by foreigners. This is my reservation, Singapore needs change urgently, now, not in another 20 years.

Not all is lost. Change may happen tomorrow and this new party may be that catalyst that sparks the flame for change. For this to happen, several conditions must be met. I will deal with a few here and they are not exclusive and not the only conditions that would make change happen.

The first point is the size of this new party. How big is it? Can it field enough good candidates to pose a real alternative govt? To be meaningful, effective and serious, it must field enough candidates to win and form a new govt. A coalition with the other smaller parties may be possible but unreliable with so many PMs to be putting their self interests ahead of national interests.

The second point is the quality, calibre and stature of the candidates contesting the election. Are they substantial individuals that can command the respect and confidence of the people? Would Progress Singapore's candidates be third liners of ex PAP cadres and members, or would they be eminent professionals, highly regarded individuals like Hsien Yang, George Yeo, Kwan Ping, Yeoh Lam Keong, just to name a few? Would be nice if a few ministers or ex ministers be brave enough to join the Party to show how serious and real is this challenge to replace the PAP in govt. This is very serious business and having more mediocre candidates, not in the sense of earning less than $500k, would not mean anything. The Progress Singapore Party must bring out a slate of big names to convince the people that this is the real thing, not another hopeless little party just for fun.

A third point to make, is this the time for political change, is Singapore ripe for political change? Had PAP work itself into a corner, a sinking ship or a ship that is being driven over the cliff? The perception of the people of the PAP, whether PAP has outlived its usefulness and no longer a party for the people's good is vital in making change to happen. Are the people still with the PAP or already lost all hopes on the PAP, a party of the past that no longer serves their interest and well being? This is a crucial question. The PAP may still be looking good superficially, but no one knows how bad it is within and how the majority of the people really feel about this Party. UMNO is a good example. Prior to the GE it was looking invincible until the chips were down.

No, do not expect another Mahathir in Singapore. No one in Singapore today can hold a candle to Mahathir. He is untouchable and the Malay ground holds him in high regards. He commands their respect and unquestionable support. There is no such character worthy of that kind of respect in Singapore today to do a Mahathir.

There is still time for the Progress Singapore Party to get its act together to be not just another hopeless party jumping into the fray. If they want to come in, make it real, make it happen, make it now._________________what i posted is just my personal view. feel free to disagree.

After Hsien Yang came out openly in support of Cheng Bock and his new party, social media saw an outcry and support for him to stand with Cheng Bock in the next GE. This is a very rare phenomenon in Singapore where an individual is being asked to stand for political office. Ok there were a few others that have also been asked but not in the way it is happening today. Ok social media was a recent development and has taken an important role in public communication and people get to speak out freely in facebook, twitters, blogs etc etc. And this time is also different because the issues facing the people and the calls for a change of govt have taken to a different level. There are many very serious issues that the people are really very unhappy with and looking for a white knight to come to their rescue.

Many people have in the past claimed that they were answering the calls of duty to serve the country and people. In today's context, in politics and the running of a country, the calls take on a different magnitude and importance.

Would Hsien Yang answer the calls of the people? Can he turn down the calls of the people and their expectation of him? For Cheng Bock to fight alone is as good as a non starter or at best becoming a lone voice in Parliament, not much different from the role the WP is playing. It is as good as not having an opposition as nothing good can come out of it. The people's problems would not be solved and things would go on as normal, spiralling into the abyss. What is the point of it all if nothing is changed?

Would Hsien Yang turn down the people's calls and walk away?

Do not forget, Hsien Yang also has another big responsibility, to defend his family, wife and son. As a father he has to stand up and fight. Not doing so did not speak well of him. In a way he is being cornered and fight he must, and the only way to fight meaningfully is to stand for election to change the power of the day and to protect his family._________________what i posted is just my personal view. feel free to disagree.

Wishing everyone a Happy and Prosperous Lunar New Year
Another year past, another year beginning. Let' hope that this will be a better year for all and all our wishes will come true.

The Year of the Pig marks the end of a 12 animal cycle period and there is hope that the new cycle will be more promising and brighter in the personal life and domestic affairs of Singaporeans.

In the bigger picture, the changing of an era where the East will rise and shine again has been taking place amidst opposition and resistance from the fading hegemon. The new Asian Century brings hope of peace and stability against the last era of incessant wars and conflicts. The change would not come easy and peacefully as the demons would not want to change their ways and their control over the rest of the world.

Happy Lunar New Year to all._________________what i posted is just my personal view. feel free to disagree.

To the Brits, Gibraltar is not a colony. Saying that it is a colony is outrageous. Were Singapore and Hong Kong former colonies of the British Empire? This is how white men create their lies and demanded the rest of the world to accept them as the truth. How did the British seized Gibraltar from Spain? Spain willingly gave Gibraltar to the Brits? Gibraltar a part of the British islands in the north Atlantic Ocean?

Oh, the bananas in Gibraltar are also angry that they are called a colony of the Brits. I think Singapore bananas and Hong Kong bananas would not share the same feelings. They would want to be know as a full part of the UK family and sing God save the Queen and fly the Union Jack, colony or no colony never mind. This is what would happen when people has no pride in themselves, in their ability to govern themselves and would want to be governed by the white men despite being treated like second class, subjects of an Empire.

Singapore is going to celebrate big time on the bicentennial colonisation of Singapore_________________what i posted is just my personal view. feel free to disagree.

'At end of China visit, DPM Teo highlights good relations and commonalities between Singapore and China

Mr Teo said the visit was a good opportunity to reunite with longtime friends, forge new relationship ties, as well as to discover new ways for cooperation between the two nations, including a new bilateral council to be established in Shanghai for the purpose of exploring new paths of engagement for Singapore and Shanghai....

Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean was jubilant in expressing his satisfaction in the country’s dealings with China as according to him, “Bilateral relations between China and Singapore havegrown from strength to strength in the past year.” He further said thatSingapore’s relationship with China has progressed “very well” over thepast year and hopes this can be taken further in 2019.
On his six-day visit to China, DPM Teo was welcomed by top Chinese anti-graft official Zhao Leji at the Great Hall of the People where bothmen reaffirmed the two countries’ “excellent state of bilateral relations.”....

The officials from both countries were one in their opinion that Singapore-China relations have been “progressive, forward-looking and strategic,” and they have committed to working closer together in a widerange of areas, from science and technology to trade and culture...

They also vowed to keep to the principles of mutual respect, sovereign equality and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs.'

How many of you reading the above will say this is fake news, or how many of you will say this is real? What if I say the above is copied from a social media site, theindependent.sg, would this fact helps one to decide whether this is real or fake news?

Although many people in high places have been badmouthing social media as the source of fake news, unreliable, undependable, I think this is real, after discounting the dark days of fake courts of UN in the Hague ruling on the South China Sea claim by the Philippines, the Terrex affair, the rules of laws, the principle stand of not allowing foreigners to influence the policies of the govt, the regularity of unkind news about China, and the brazen 'Gang of Four' attacks on China, I must confirm that Singapore's relations have always been very good, excellent, with China.

Nowadays, because of the fake news law, I have this habit of asking people to feel free to disagree with me, especially my opinions posted here.

Oh, with Singapore China relations in such an excellent state, I think in the not too distance future Singapore would likely sign a CECA with China and also offer Chinese naval ships to make permanent calls at Changi Naval Base, to balance against the American Empire instead of to balance against Chinese presence in the region. Then the excellent relationship will be elevated to a strategic partnership level.

What do you think?_________________what i posted is just my personal view. feel free to disagree.